Originally published October 18 2009
Probiotics prevent asthma
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
(NaturalNews) Did you know that probiotics help prevent asthma? It's not one of those immediately obvious connections, but the more you look into it, the more you'll see why it works.
Asthma is often the result of systemic inflammation caused by food allergies. Probiotics, it turns out, can help deal with food allergies, calming the inflammation and helping to eliminate many health problems (not just asthma, but also some skin conditions and intestinal disorders as well).
Below, we've published a short collection of research quotes about probiotics and asthma, gathered from some of the top health books in the world. Check out what they have to say about the benefits of probiotics:
Probiotics and asthma
Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in childhood and one of the most common causes of school absenteeism. Asthma is inflammation of the bronchial tubes. It causes obstruction of the airway, chest tightness, coughing and wheezing. If probiotics are primarily in the intestinal tract, how would probiotics aid the lungs and help to fight asthma? Remember that probiotics have a great influence on the immune system.
- Probiotic Rescue: How You can use Probiotics to Fight Cholesterol, Cancer, Superbugs, Digestive Complaints and More by Allison Tannis
The intestinal microflora plays a role in immune system regulation. Probiotics promote healthy intestinal barriers and immune reactions. Lack of probiotics in infants may prevent proper immune maturation leading to allergies. Leaky gut allows allergens through the intestines and promotes allergies. Probiotics appear to prevent and treat certain atopic diseases (asthma, eczema). Eczema can be effectively treated with probiotics. Asthma may be prevented or treated with probiotics.
- Probiotic Rescue: How You can use Probiotics to Fight Cholesterol, Cancer, Superbugs, Digestive Complaints and More by Allison Tannis
Research shows that both asthma and eczema are linked to abnormal immune responses in newborns. Can probiotics be helpful to children who are at risk of developing allergic diseases such as asthma? Finnish researchers have found that children who were exposed to probiotics around the time of birth were 40% less likely to develop atopic eczema than children in a placebo group; however, exposure to probiotics did not have any protective effect against asthma. Lactobacillus casei can reduce the rate of eczema in infants, but there has been no word yet on its ability to prevent asthma.
- Probiotic Rescue: How You can use Probiotics to Fight Cholesterol, Cancer, Superbugs, Digestive Complaints and More by Allison Tannis
If steroids/antibiotics have been taken for some time, probiotics friendly flora is needed for actions to boost your own auto-immune system. It is important to follow a starch-free and dairy-free diet. Drinking 6 large glasses of water per day is also critical. What Is Asthma? Asthma is a range of similar lung diseases that can have a variety of causes. It can be life threatening and so has to be taken very seriously. When you have asthma, it's important to: 1. Take your asthma seriously. 2. Take your asthma medicines as prescribed.
- Probiotic Rescue: How You can use Probiotics to Fight Cholesterol, Cancer, Superbugs, Digestive Complaints and More by Allison Tannis
Asthmatics can also benefit from probiotics, because these digestive aids not only reduce the incidence of food reactions, but also help to regulate the immune system, and overcome Th-2 skewing. Another dietary measure that can be hugely helpful is taking supplements of essential fatty acids, such as fish oil, borage oil, evening primrose oil, or flaxseed oil. EFAs are potent anti-inflammatories, and several studies indicate that they can help reduce the frequency, intensity, and duration of asthma episodes.
- Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders by Kenneth Bock
He was taken off dairy, and started on various nutritional supplements, including zinc, vitamin C, cod liver oil, vitamin E, transfer factor, and probiotics. He responded extremely well to this nutritional and supplementation therapy, and stopped getting asthma attacks. He was actually able to stop all of his prescription medications. A year later, his mother reported that he was "doing great." He was growing well, and had gained four and a half pounds. She said he rarely got sick, and if he caught a cold, it would no longer progress to wheezing. His bowels had become regular.
- Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders by Kenneth Bock
Throwing up stopped when sensible eating and probiotics began. I am a vegeterian cook and intend to study vegetarian meal preparation. I never saw life in the past as I experience it today. I am a forty-four-year-old man diagnosed as a "worst case disability." I was considered to be a healthy baby at birth. After I was vaccinated at three months of age, an eczema developed over my body. This was the beginning of being treated with medications throughout my life. I became asthmatic at age nineteen and used various drugs including prednisone 20-3Ox.
- The Food-Mood Connection: Nutrition-based and Environmental Approaches to Mental Health and Physical Wellbeing by Gary Null and Amy McDonald
Use extra probiotics to help maintain healthy intestinal flora, and be sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly (without swallowing the water) after each inhaled dose to prevent Candida infection in the mouth and throat. With oral administration of steroid drugs, high-fat meals cause increased drug absorption and foods in general are better absorbed, so weight gain can result. It isn't unheard of for the body to absorb enough of the inhaled form to cause these side effects.
- Bottom Line's Prescription Alternatives by Earl L. Mindell, RPh, PhD with Virginia Hopkins, MA
Probiotics are also proven to be beneficial for treating allergies; take a product that contains four billion organisms of lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus. Protease enzymes assist in decreasing inflammation. Take two capsules twice a day on an empty stomach. Take 300-500 mg of the freeze-dried stinging nettles, which are beneficial for allergic rhinitis and hay fever. Butterbur is a traditional herbal remedy used to treat seasonal allergies and asthma.
- 1000 Cures for 200 Ailments: Integrated Alternative and Conventional Treatments for the Most Common Illnesses by Marshall Editions
Another recently discovered function of probiotics (another name for beneficial flora) is "crosstalk" between the flora and the intestinal lining. This occurs through uptake of parts of the bacteria and may literally be bacterial vibrations communicating with the intestinal lining itself. The result is healthy immune balancing in the intestines, which is responsible for at least 60 percent of our immunity. This is especially important in infancy and early childhood, as it has been shown to help prevent allergies and autoimmune diseases, such as asthma and diabetes.
- Super Health 7 Golden Keys to Unlock Lifelong Vitality by KC Craichy
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